In Touch 07-24-04

In Touch Daily Devotional
by Dr. Charles Stanley

Saturday July 24, 2004InTouch Early Light Devotional

Our Helper in Prayer
John 16:5-15

As Jesus neared the time of His death, He frequently referred to the Helper He would be sending. The Holy Spirit was promised to enable and instruct believers. He is often called the Comforter - Parakletos in Greek - the one who comes to stand by us and assist in whatever God calls us to do.

One of the most significant responsibilities of the Holy Spirit is to be our Helper in prayer. The burden we feel to pray comes from Him. He knows about temptations lurking ahead or harsh experiences that may befall us, so He prompts us to talk to our Father. When you sense a need to pray, the last thing you should do is ignore it. First Thessalonians 5:19 tells us, "Do not quench the Spirit;" in other words, to ignore that divine prodding is a sin.

Often the Holy Spirit offers the opportunity to participate in God's work by burdening us to pray for someone else. Many times I have received calls asking me if I was going through a tough time. Invariably, my caller has been praying for me at the behest of the Holy Spirit.

This burdening of our hearts to pray for ourselves or others is a special demonstration of God's love. By calling us to prayer, He can begin the delicate work of sensitizing us to our surrounding circumstances or preparing us for a battle that He knows is coming. Listening to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and allowing ourselves to be prepared is how we display our love in return.

Are you looking for an outreach that will inspire your children to grow in their faith? Visit Teen Connection (www.teen-connection.info), the official teen outreach of In Touch Ministries. Be sure to check out the latest interviews with Atlanta Braves' pitcher Russ Ortiz and Dove award-winning band, downhere.

About In Touch Ministries

At In Touch Ministries, our mission is to lead people worldwide into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and to strengthen the local church.

About Charles F. Stanley

Charles F. Stanley is the founder of In Touch Ministries and a New York Times best-selling author. While his teaching is transmitted throughout the world to millions of people, Dr. Stanley continues to demonstrate a practical, keen awareness of people’s needs and provide Christ-centered, biblically-based principles for everyday life.

Dr. Stanley’s motivation is best represented by the truth found in Acts 20:24, “Life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about God's mighty kindness and love.”